1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to antennas for transmission and reception of radio frequency communications. More particularly, it relates to an antenna employing a single planar shaped antenna element which is especially well adapted for high definition television communications, as well as a wide number of other frequencies and the receipt and transmission of both vertical and horizontal polarized RF signals.
2. Prior Art
Antennas provide electronic communication for radios, televisions, and cellular telephones and have come to define the information age that we live in. When constructing a communications array such as an HDTV antenna broadcast site, or a wireless communications grid, the builder is faced with the dilemma of obtaining antennas that are customized by providers for the narrow frequency to be broadcast as well as polarization for various individual digital signals. Most such antennas are custom made using antenna elements to match the narrow band of frequencies and polarization to be employed at the site which can vary widely depending on the network and venue. The horizontal, vertical, or circular polarization scheme may be desired to either increase bandwidth ability from a single site and the potential number of connections.
External antennas generally take the form of large cumbersome conic or Yagi type construction and are placed outdoors either on a pole on the roof top of the building housing the receiver or in attic or the like of a building. These antennas are somewhat fragile as they are formed by the combination of a plurality of parts including reflectors and receiving elements formed of light weight aluminum tubing or the like having various lengths to satisfy the frequency requirements of the received signals and plastic insulators. The receiving elements are held in relative position by means of the insulators and the reflectors elements are grounded together.
Other antennas that are currently used are indoors antennas which are easy on the eyes but unacceptable for producing a good picture and sound. The most common and effective of these indoor antennas is the well known dual dipole type positioned adjacent to or on the television receiver and affectionately referred to as “rabbit ears”. These antennas are generally ineffective for fringe area reception and are only effective for strong local signal reception. When low frequency signals reception is desired, the dipoles must be extended to their maximum length which makes the “rabbit ear” antenna susceptible to tipping over or interfering with or causing possible damage to any adjacent objects.
Cable systems are also currently used for delivering signals to television receivers. This system is highly successful for delivering high quality non-pixelating signals to a television receiver over a large range of frequencies. One of the strongest disadvantages to the cable signal delivery systems is the economic cost of installation and the periodic cost of the signal delivery to the user which can run as high as one hundred dollars monthly. Further, off air broadcast television at newer digital frequencies frequently has broadcast towers in different geographical locations and weaker signals than analog TV of the past. Consequently, receiving a signal with conventional Yagi antennas or indoor rabbit ears, is often unsuccessful yielding a disappointing video picture.
Satellite dishes with their accompanying accessories is another of the present methods of receiving television signals. This method is popular and successful for receiving signals from fixed in position satellites. Systems of this type require large diameter dishes generally in excess of six feet and ideally about twelve feet for receiving acceptable signal levels. Small dishes under two feet in diameter are presently unusable for all but the most powerful satellite transmitters. The acceptable sized dishes are ugly to view and because of size are hard to hide from sight. In addition the systems as they exist today are quite expensive and, therefore, not available to all who desire to view picture perfect television reception.
However, due to the problems and draw backs outlined above, as well as other problems that one skilled in the art will immediately recognize with existing antenna systems and structures, there is a continuing unmet need for an improved antenna radiator or element configuration for improved reception and transmission.